English Intensive Reading 吉林大学远程教育学院    
Introduction
Text
Language Points
Grammar
 
  Lesson 3    Language Points  ( Page 3)
   
         
   
But for a slight rhythmic movement of the cartridge box at the back of his belt he might have been thought to be dead.
Meaning: He lay there motionless and asleep but his breathing caused the cartridge box at the back of his belt to move rhythmically. If the cartridge box had not moved at regular intervals, he might have been thought to be dead.
若不是他背后皮带上挂着的子弹带在有节奏地上下起伏着，人们准以为他已经死了。
but for: except for; without
倘不，倘没有，要不是（该习语常用于虚拟语气，其近义习语有except for）
1. But for your help, I should have failed. 如果不是你的帮助，我早已失败了。
2. We’d have been lost but for you. 如果没有你，我们早就迷路了。
Comparing the following words:
but, however, yet 但是，然而。均连接两个相反的观念
but: 常用词，它将在语法上地位相等而观念明显相对的两个事物并列作对比，在but与前
一个从句之间常用逗号分开。
1. They all went, but I didn’t. 他们都走了，但我没走。
2. He is young but very experienced. 他虽年轻但经验很丰富。
however: 可是，不过，较正式。副词，引导出与前面从句有相反含义的并列从句，可置于句首、句中或句末。
1. However, we will look into the matter later. 不过我们以后还要调查这件事。
2. He felt ill. He went to work, however, and tried to concentrate.
他病了，但他仍旧去上班，并且尽力集中精力工作。
yet: 也是个并列连词，表示转折关系，置于引导的句首， 但是表转折的程度要弱于but。
1. Though you’ve made some progress, yet you are still to work hard.
你虽已取得了进步，但尚需努力。
2. He trained hard all year, yet he still failed to reach his best form.
他全年艰苦训练，然而仍未达到自己的最佳状态。
He was asleep at his post of duty.
Meaning: He was posted there as a sentinel. His duty was to keep watch for the enemy, and to make sure that fellow soldiers were not discovered. Unable to resist fatigue, he fell asleep at his post of duty.
他在自己的哨位上睡着了。